by Santosh Digal

More than 3,200 chickens died of dehydration in the single province of La Union (North). Around 10 tonnes of fish disappear in shrinking artificial Lake Magadat. Damage even in the capital yesterday morning, where energy is supplied for only for two hours a day. For experts the drought will last until July. At the risk of the presidential elections in May.

Manila (AsiaNews) - After the agricultural sector the poultry and fish industries are the latest to suffer the effects of drought in the Philippines caused by the arrival of the El Niño current. In recent days in the province of La Union (northern Philippines) more than 3,200 chickens have died from the lack of water and other birds will die according to the farmers in the coming weeks. On average, from 6 to 10 die every day. The Institute for research into fresh water fish and aquatic fauna also claims that over 10 thousand kilograms of fish have disappeared in a few days from the artificial lake Magadat (Island of Luzon), which because of the drought, is drying up. Same situation also for the watersheds of Mindanao (Southern Philippines), where the government has declared a state of emergency.

The lack of water in hydroelectric reservoirs has also hit the capital. As of this morning, the electricity will be supplied only for two hours a day and the government continues to recommend the rationing of drinking water, which is no longer sufficient to meet demands. "I get up every morning at 3 am to collect water - affirms Ruby Rosary in Manila – the water in the pipes is too low and it is almost impossible to fill the buckets for the home."

Experts say the drought will last until July to late July and continuing blackouts are likely to jeopardize the elections scheduled for May 10. To date, the damage has amounted to over 60 million euros only for the agricultural sector, with over 40% of the crop affected. To continue producing the food industry has been forced to buy over 700 thousand tons of agricultural products, sufficient until the month of June.

On 28 February the card. Gaudencio Rosales, archbishop of Manila, invited all parishes in the country to recite the "Oratio Imperata Ad Petendam Pluviam”. This is a particular form of prayer used to ask God for the arrival of the rain and keep alive the hope of the people in times of severe drought. The return of "El Niño" was announced in August by researchers from the UK Met Office Hadley Center for Climate Prediction and Research, who predicted the arrival of the phenomenon in early 2010. It is cyclical and occurs every two - seven years with an increase in temperature of 0.5 ° C -1.5 ° C of the usually very cold eastern Pacific Ocean. This change causes an alteration of the normal ocean currents bringing droughts to the Asian and African area and torrential rains to the South American continent.

• philippines
• el
• nino
• drought
• fish
• agriculture
• lake
• water
• rationing
• manila